Gloucester Park review

Lavra Joe smashes two records

Sensational colt Lavra Joe, described by his driver Chris Lewis as an equine freak, continued on his record-breaking spree when he gave yet another outstanding performance to crush his rivals in the $50,000 group 2 Intersport Slater Gartrell Western Gateway Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

“A three-year-old shouldn’t be recording those times and running away (from the opposition); it’s ridiculous,” said owner-trainer Ray Jones after Lavra Joe, the $1.40 favourite, had defeated Pinny Tiger ($31) by 20 metres, with Carabao ($18) two lengths farther back in third place.

Lavra Joe rated 1.54.4 over the 2536m journey to smash the race record of 1.55.4 set by the brilliant Alta Christiano in 2013 (when the event was run over 2130m), and his time also was a track record for a three-year-old pacer over 2536m, obliterating the 1.56.1 recorded by Eloquent Mach when he won the Western Gateway Pace in March 2019. The track record for 2536m is 1.54.1 set by Vampiro when he won a Free-For-All last December, beating Bletchley Park and Galactic Star.

At his previous appearance, Lavra Joe set a track record for three-year-olds over 2130m when he rated 1.53.5 in winning the $40,000 Caduceus Club Classic, beating Dominus Factum by four lengths.

He settled down in eighth position, with Pinny Tiger leading from the $5 second fancy Mighty Ronaldo in the breeze. Lewis quickly set Lavra Joe alight, and the colt stormed forward, three wide, to move outside the pacemaker. He remained in the breeze for 300m before forging to the front with 1350m to travel.

After the opening 400m section of the final mile in a fast 28sec., the next quarters went by in 29.2sec., 28.1sec. and 27.9sec. The win gave Lewis a record sixth win in the Western Gateway Pace, following successes with Flashing Star (1993), Pro Armbro (1995), Saab (1998), Talladega (2000) and Alberta Retreat (2005).

Jones said that he would probably give Lavra Joe two more starts, including the Battle of Bunbury at Donaldson Park, before contesting the $200,000 Sky Channel WA Derby at Gloucester Park on April 30. The colt now boasts a splendid record of 27 starts for 15 wins, seven placings and $202,846 in prizemoney.

Crack New Zealand three-year-old Ragazzo Mach, widely regarded as one of Lavra Joe’s most serious rivals in the WA Derby, is firmly on target for the New Zealand Derby on April 9. He lost few admirers for the WA classic after finishing a neck second to Pace N Pride in a 1980m event at Addington on Friday night.

Ragazzo Mach started from the outside barrier (No. 9) and was restrained at the start before settling down in last position about ten lengths from the pacemaker. He then raced three wide soon after the start and remained out wide for about 500m before moving to the breeze on the outside of Pace N Pride.

Ragazzo Mach finished strongly, but just failed to overhaul Pace N Pride, who rated 1.56.7, with the final 800m in 56.4sec. and the last 400m 27.6sec.

Hynam is back in business

A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since Tony Hynam trained and drove eight-year-old ex-Victorian pacer Been In Trouble to a thrilling victory in a three-way photo finish at Gloucester Park on October 6, 2006.

Now 65, Hynam landed his first metropolitan winner since Been In Trouble beat Mighty Aslan by a short half-head fourteen and a half years ago when Lindsay Harper drove Joe With The Flow to a half-head victory over Machlani in the 2536m Intersport Slater Gartrell Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

It was a notable win for Joe With The Flow, who had been unplaced at his five starts since his previous victory almost 15 months ago. Some astute punters gleefully celebrated the win — after they had snapped up juicy fixed market odds of $81, $61 and $51.

Joe With The Flow started third favourite at $6.10 (and at $7 on the fixed market) and he burst straight to the front from barrier four, beating out $6.50 chance Machlani from the No. 5 barrier.

Joe With The Flow then had the luxury of being able to stroll through the opening quarters of the final mile in 32.5sec. and 31.2sec., trailed along the pegs by polemarker Tuas Delight ($3.70 favourite) and Bettor Finish ($4.80) and with Machlani racing without cover.

Machlani fought on grimly and just failed to overhaul Joe With The Flow, with Tuas Delight gaining a late inside run to finish a close third. The winner rated a modest 2.0.6 after dashing over the final 800m in 56.4sec.

Joe With The Flow is the eleventh foal out of the unraced mare Miss Jefferies and now has a record of 57 starts for 11 wins, 12 placings and stakes of $84,463.

Before Been In Trouble’s win in 2006, Hynam enjoyed considerable success with Cloudy Lights, who won seven times from ten starts between December 2002 and March 2003. Hynam also was the breeder, owner, trainer and driver of Greedy Girl, who was retired after winning a 2500m stand at Gloucester Park on April 29, 1994. She had raced 71 times for ten wins and 21 placings.

Hynam said that after Been In Trouble’s final win he had not renewed his trainer’s licence but had taken out a stablehand’s licence to help his nephew Craig, who was keen to become involved in harness racing.

“I resumed training a couple of years ago and won a couple of races with Sarge at Williams and Collie early in 2019,” Hynam said. “About a year ago I was looking at a couple of horses in the Eastern States when Peter Anderson told my son Anthony that the Ross OIivieri-trained Joe With The Flow could be coming on the market.

“I was then able to buy the horse for $10,000 and he races for me, long-time owner Graeme Dugmore, Anthony and Mathew, another son of mine who lives in Tasmania.”

On Friday night Joe With The Flow was having his fifth start for his new owners after an eighth, a ninth and two seventh placings.

“His previous few runs had been quite good when he ran 56sec. halves,” said Hynam. “Tonight’s result was no surprise for us. He had drawn a much better gate and was able to lead, and he’s a different horse in front.”

McDonald to join Purdon stable

Talented young reinsman Stuart McDonald has decided to leave Western Australia and will work as a stablehand at fellow-New Zealand horseman Nathan Purdon’s new stables at Lara, just out of Geelong.

The 26-year-old New Zealand-born McDonald has been in WA for almost ten years and said that the opportunity to team with the 25-year-old Purdon, a son of champion trainer-reinsman Mark Purdon, presented a fresh challenge.

“It’s just a matter of doing something different,” McDonald said. “I have been at Senior’s (trainer Gary Hall snr) for three and a half years. It has been good and I’m leaving on good terms.”

Purdon moved into his new stables at trainer Dean Braun’s property at Lara two months ago and currently has about a dozen young pacers in work, with an aim of building his team to 20 horses.

“I have been friends with Nathan since I met him here in Perth when he was working for Greg Bond in 2015,” said McDonald, who added that he had driven about 340 winners in WA, with the highlight being his victory his head victory with Caviar Star over Vampiro in the $300,000 Fremantle Cup at Gloucester Park in January 2020.

McDonald also has had the thrill of driving champion pacer Chicago Bull — for a close third behind Bettors Fire and Soho Tribeca in the Village Kid Sprint at Gloucester park in December 2017 and to an easy victory over Shockwave in the Cranley Memorial last November.

He has also won group 2 features with Master Jaxon in the 2016 San Simeon Classic and Eloquent Mach in the 2019 Western Gateway Pace.

About four years ago he had the experience of working at Kevin Pizzuto’s Sydney stables for a couple of months and had the thrill of driving star New Zealand-bred pacer Tiger Tara in two group 1 feature events at Menangle in February 2017.

He also worked for the powerful Ross Olivieri and gained the distinction of driving the Olivieri-trained $96.10 outsider Jambiani to victory in the 2017 August Cup at Gloucester Park.

McDonald will have his final drives at the Gloucester Park meeting next Friday night before leaving for Victoria the following week.

Extraordinary Mary seeking the Bullion

Promising filly Extraordinary Mary will be set for the $50,000 Gold Bullion at Gloucester Park on April 16 after she gave a strong frontrunning performance to win the $25,000 Intersport Slater Gartrell Western Crown for two-year-old fillies over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Extraordinary Mary, third favourite at $6.10, gave part-owner Jemma Hayman her first metropolitan-class training success and her third win as a trainer. The filly’s win completed a double for reinsman Shannon Suvaljko, who had won earlier in the night with Rock Me Over.

Extraordinary Mary led from the No. 3 barrier, beating out the polemarker debutant and $2.80 favourite Artistic Scribe, who lost her chance when she broke into a gallop when in second place about 250m after the start.

After comfortable opening quarters of 31.3sec. and 31.7sec., Extraordinary Mary dashed over the final quarters in 28.6sec. and 27.4sec. to win by a neck from $6.50 chance Wonderful To Fly, with Taking The Miki ($3.20) a sound third after racing without cover.

Hayman, wife of eight-time WA premiership trainer Ross Olivieri, is in her first year as a trainer and Extraordinary Mary is the first pacer she has broken in. She purchased the Fly Like An Eagle filly for $10,000 at the 2020 APG Perth yearling sale, and the youngster now has had four starts for two wins, a second and a fifth for earnings of $37,461.

Hayman’s first success as a trainer was with Kissed By A Rose, who was a $31 outsider when she was successful as a two-year-old at Pinjarra last August.

Extraordinary Mary is the third foal out of the unraced mare Has The Looks and is a half-sister to Kissed By A Rose.

“We like Fly Like An Eagle as a sire, and as a double Westbred we thought buying Extraordinary Mary was a wise move,” said Hayman. “The heats of the Gold Bullion will be run next Tuesday week, and hopefully we will qualify for the final. Then, if she is good enough, she will run in the Diamond Classic.”

Voak suggests WA Oaks tactics

Star filly Black Jack Baby was untroubled to notch her eleventh victory from 18 starts when she set the pace and strolled to an effortless win over Joelene and Always An Angel in the 2130m Intersport Slater Gartrell Pace for three-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Leading reinsman Chris Voak did not bother to pull the ear plugs as Black Jack Baby sped over the final quarters in 28.4sec. and 27.5sec. to record a 1.57.2 mile rate.

“She should be peaking for the WA Oaks next Friday week,” said Voak. “Tonight, she settled beautifully and pulled up brilliantly. In the Oaks, unless she draws one, I’d be inclined to sit her up and rely on her great sprinting ability at the end of the 2536 metres.”

Black Jack Baby has never contested a race beyond 2185m, let alone over the 2536m journey. Her only run beyond 2130m was in a 2185m event, against older and more experienced rivals at Pinjarra early in January this year when she started from the No. 1 barrier, led early and then raced three back on the pegs before finishing a well-beaten eighth behind Cordero.

Black Jack Baby, who was produced in great shape by her breeder-owner Shane Quadrio, could have another run next Friday night before the $150,000 WA Oaks the following week.

“Shane is toying with the idea of sending Black Jack Baby around next Friday night as a final hit-out for the Oaks,” said Voak.

$6000 purchase produces $180,464 result

The amazing career of one of the State’s most remarkable bargains continued at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Shannon Suvaljko drove WA-bred six-year-old Rock Me Over to victory in the Intersport Slater Gartrell Pace over 2130m.

The Rock N Roll Heaven gelding has proved to be a magnificent buy for Serpentine trainer Matt Scott, who outlaid just $6000 two years ago to purchase the pacer for himself and staunch stable patrons Tony Maguire and his son Ian.

Rock Me Over now has raced 78 times for his new connections for ten wins, 28 placings and $180,464 in prizemoney. His overall record stands at 124 starts for 21 wins, 41 placings and $308,087.

Rock Me Over, who had finished second at each of his three previous starts, was a $6.70 chance from the awkward barrier at No. 7. Noted frontrunner Thereugo, the $3.50 equal favourite, dashed to an early lead, but Suvaljko seized the initiative by driving Rock Me Over forward to take up the running after 500m.

Rock Me Over was kept honest in front by the tough four-year-old mare Fifty Five Reborn, and after a lead time of 37.3sec. the quarters of the final mile were covered in 29.1sec., 30sec., 28.2sec. and 28.2sec., with the winner rating 1.55.4.

Fifty Five Reborn challenge Rock Me Over strongly in the latter stages and fought on determinedly to finish a gallant second, well ahead of Thereugo in third place. Walsh, equal fancy at $3.50, was shuffled back to fifth at the bell, three back on the pegs, and he was hampered for room in the final stages before finishing fourth.

Relaxed Rakasinc triumphs

New Zealand-bred six-year-old Rakasinc, who overraced when he set a fast pace and was beaten into second place by Thomson Bay over 2130m last Friday week, made amends when he was far more relaxed when he led and won convincingly from Lightning Jolt and My Carbon Copy over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Ravenswood trainer Nathan Turvey was pleasantly surprised at Rakasinc’s ability to settle quietly in the early stages after dashing straight to the front from the No. 2 barrier. Emily Suvajko then was able to give Rakasinc an easy time with opening quarters of the final mile in 32.1sec. and 31.4sec.

This left Rakasinc with a lot in reserve and he sprinted over the final quarters in 28.1sec. and 27.3sec. to win by just under a length from Lightning Jolt, who trailed the pacemaker throughout.

“Rakasinc has won a lot of races by taking the rival horses off the bit,” said Turvey. “To me, he races at his best when he rolls along, and I prefer him to run along rather than race in the relaxed style he showed tonight.”

Racasinc raced 27 times in New South Wales for three wins and eight placings before coming to WA where he has had 30 starts for ten wins and eight placings. His win on Friday night boosted his earnings to $102,245.

He is a half-brother to Rakarebel, who earned $349,607 from 25 wins and 50 placings from 177 starts. Rakarebel won at his first eight starts, all at Gloucester Park, in Western Australia in 2011.

Manning repeats the dose

Four-year-old Manning, a $19,000 purchase at the 2018 APG yearling sale in Perth, boosted his earnings to $153,209 when he scored an easy victory over $8 chance Pocket the Cash and the $1.95 favourite Poisedtopounce in the 2536m Intersport Slater Gartrell Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Maddison Brown used similar tactics as she did when she was successful with the Justin Prentice-trained Manning the previous Friday night when the Sportswriter gelding relished the task of working hard in the breeze before finishing strongly.

On Friday night, Manning was great value at $17.30 from barrier No. 5. Manning raced four wide after settling in seventh position, and Brown then urged him forward, three wide, to move to the breeze on the outside of the pacemaker Poisedtopounce 600m after the start.

Manning took the lead 150m from home and he was untroubled to win from Pocket The Cash, who enjoyed an ideal passage in the one-out, one-back position. The final 800m was covered in 56.3sec. and Manning rated 1.57.8.

Raced by the Trotsynd No. 16 syndicate, Manning is the seventh foal out of the unraced mare Stephanie Rose, and he is a half-brother to Arts Gangsta (112 starts for 11 wins, 25 placings and $66,827) and Brotha Ofa Gangsta (82 starts for 12 wins, 18 placings and $92,851).

Seven in a row for Texas Tiger

Exciting New Zealand-bred four-year-old Texas Tiger was never really out of second gear as he strolled to victory in the $25,000 Intersport Slater Gartrell Free-For-All at Gloucester Park on Friday night and he is emerging as a major hope in the $50,000 Easter Cup next Friday week.

A hot favourite at $1.04, Texas Tiger now has won at his first seven appearances in Western Australia for champion trainer Gary Hall snr., who believes the lightly-raced gelding will develop into a serious contender for the rich Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup next summer.

Gary Hall jnr took Texas Tiger straight to the front from the No. 2 barrier and the gelding was under no pressure as he covered the lead time in 37.6sec. and the following three 400m sections in 31.6sec., 31.2sec. and 28.9sec. before sprinting over the final quarter in 27.2sec. and winning by 4m from $26 third fancy Runaway Three, who trailed the pacemaker throughout.

First city win for Lapworth

Leanne Lapworth has always had a keen interest in harness racing, mainly because her great uncle George Searle was a prominent reinsman in Victoria.

More than a dozen years ago, when living in Kalgoorlie, she asked local trainer-reinsmen Neville Sly and Brett Snell if they could teach her the art of training and allow her to drive their pacers in work.

“I started training some ten years ago and had success on country tracks with Reginald Trevor, Hurricane Luke and Undercover Art,” she said at Gloucester Park on Friday night as she savoured her first training success in a metropolitan-class event, with veteran mare Zozo Ma Gogo winning the Intersport Slater Gartrell Pace for mares.

Zozo Ma Gogo was her fourth starter at a Gloucester Park Friday night meeting — after a fourth at $91, a tenth at $151 and a sixth at $101. With Emily Suvaljko driving her for the first time, Zozo Ma Gogo was an outsider at $26.70 as the only runner on the back line in a field of nine.

Alice Kay, a newcomer from Victoria and having her first start in WA, was a hot favourite at $1.25, with Just Makemine Diamonds, having her first start for trainer Ian Gossage, second fancy at $5.50.

Just Makemine Diamonds, driven by Lindsay Harper, set a scorching pace, with a quick lead time of 36.4sec. followed by opening quarters of the final mile in 28sec. and 27.9sec. Zozo Ma Gogo led the chase behind the runaway leader, with Alice Kay third on the pegs after racing wide early.

The hectic pace told on Just Makemine Diamonds, who began to weaken down the back straight in the final lap. Suvaljko sent Zozo Ma Gogo to the front 390m from home and was challenged strongly by Alice Kay, who finished second behind. Just Makemine Diamonds faded to sixth, 42.5 metres behind the winner.

Zozo Ma Gogo was unsuccessful at her first 31 starts, in South Australia and Victoria, and after four wins in Victoria she continued her career in Western Australia under the care of trainer Ross Olivieri. She won at her WA debut, at Gloucester Park in May 2019, and after three wins from her first four starts in the State she had a losing sequence of 23 before leading and winning over 2130m at Gloucester Park in mid-February this year. Then, after finishing twelfth in a race three nights later, she was up for sale.

Lapworth then takes up the story, saying: “We were training Blushing Mel, who was coming back from an injury, but unfortunately after winning a trial at Pinjarra she bowed a tendon again. We were looking around and Zozo Ma Gogo came up and my husband Trevor bought her.

“I have a job in Kalgoorlie and stables there as well as at Byford. I spend my time between Kalgoorlie and Byford, and when I’m in Kalgoorlie Trevor looks after my horses in Byford.”

The Victorian-bred Zozo Ma Gogo is out of Cunning Kate, who had 92 starts for nine wins, 19 placings and stakes of $68,922.

Memorable night for the Lapworth family

Leanne Lapworth completed a night to remember at Gloucester Park on Friday night when her smart colt Seven No Trumps began brilliantly from the No. 5 barrier and set a brisk pace before scoring an easy victory in the $25,000 Intersport Slater Gartrell Western Crown for two-year-old colts and geldings.

Ninety minutes earlier, Lapworth trained her first city winner, with $26.70 chance Zozo Ma Gogo (owned by her husband Trevor) winning a 2130m event for mares.

Lapworth made a wise decision when she heeded the advice of Byford trainer Peter Tilbrook to buy Seven No Trumps at the 2020 Perth APG yearling sale. The colt, trained by Tilbrook, has won at three of his four starts for earnings of $24,436.

“Peter recommended the colt, saying that there was a nice Advance Attack youngster who was the third last lot to come under the hammer at the sale,” she said. “Everyone would’ve spent their money by then, so have a go at him was his advice.

“I made one bid at $5000 and was successful in securing him. His brother went for $27,500 at this year’s sale.”

Lapworth named the colt because of her recent interest in playing bridge, and seven no trumps is the best possible hand in a game of bridge. This is her first season playing bridge and next Saturday she will receive the award as Kalgoorlie’s club champion.

Shannon Suvaljko made the winning move in Friday night’s race when he dashed Seven No Trumps, excellent value at $12.50, straight to the front from barrier five. The colt set a brisk pace and after dashing over the final 800m in 57.1sec. he won by 4m from $13 chance Alcopony at a 1.56.6 rate over 1730m

The win completed a treble for Suvaljko, who had won earlier in the night behind Rock Me Over and Extraordinary Mary. Suvaljko kept up the good work with a double at Narrogin on Saturday night when he scored all-the-way victories with two-year-old Meteoroid and veteran Phil Costello-trained pacer Vultan Tin in the $30,000 Narrogin Cup. Then, for good measure, Suvaljko won the first event at Bridgetown on Sunday afternoon with the pacemaker Chase The Feeling.

Star reinsman Aiden de Campo shone brightly at Narrogin when he had four drives for four winners —Torpedo Rock, Secret Reaction, Adda Girl and Tellmetoattack, a $3.30 chance who got up to beat $81 outsider Ignite The Passion in the $10,000 Bridgetown Cup over 2597m.

Ken Casellas